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May 1, 2010 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI

Please 'sit-a-long' with our MONTHLY4-hourZAZENKAI, netcast LIVE from 9pm to 1am Japan time Saturday (that is New York 8am to noon, Los Angeles 5am to 9am, London 1pm to 5pm and Paris 2pm to 6pm, SATURDAY) ... and visible at the following link during those times ...

But FEAR NOT if not possible for you to join 'live' in your location at those times, as the entire sitting is recorded in 'REAL TIME' and available for full participation 'ON DEMAND' at ANY TIME after that, no different from the 'live' sitting . Just click then on the links below:

THE 'REAL TIME, ANY TIME' recorded version is divided into 2 parts as follows (click on the blue links) :

Our Zazenkai consists of our chanting the 'Heart Sutra' and the 'Identity of Relative and Absolute (Sandokai)' in English (please download our Chant Book at the link below), some full floor prostrations (please follow along with me ... or a simple Gassho can be substituted if you wish), a little talk by me ... and we close with the 'Metta Chant', followed at the end with the 'Verse of Atonement' and 'The Four Vows'. Oh, and lots and lots of Zazen and walkin' Kinhin in between!

Please download and print out the Chant Book (PDF) at the following link:

I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU POSITION YOUR ZAFU ON THE FLOOR IN A PLACE WHERE YOU ARE NOT STARING DIRECTLY AT THE COMPUTER SCREEN, BUT CAN GLANCE OVER AND SEE THE SCREEN WHEN NECESSARY. YOUR ZAFU SHOULD ALSO BE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE COMPUTER SCREEN WHILE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE ZAFU FOR THE CEREMONIES, AND HAVE ROOM FOR BOWING AND KINHIN.

ALSO, REMEMBER TO SET YOUR COMPUTER (& SCREEN SAVER) SO THAT IT DOES NOT SHUT OFF DURING THE 4 HOURS.

I hope you will join us ... an open Zafu is waiting. When we drop all thought of 'here' 'there' 'now' 'then' ... we are sitting all together!

Re: May 1, 2010 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI

Tonight's Zen Talk will be on a short section of Shobogenzo called "Shoji" (Life and Death). Here is the text in full ...

Birth and Death
by Eihei Dogen
Translated by Arnold Kotler and Kazuaki Tanahashi.

1

"Because a buddha is in birth and death, there is no birth and death." (2)

It is also said, "Because a buddha is not in birth and death, a buddha is not deluded by birth and death." (3)

These statements are the essence of the words of the two Zen masters Jiashan and Dingshan. You should certainly not neglect them, because they are the words of those who attained the way.

2

Those who want to be free from birth and death should understand the meaning of these words. If you search for a buddha outside birth and death, it will be like trying to go to the southern country of Yue with our spear heading towards the north, or like trying to see the Big Dipper while you are facing south; you will cause yourself to remain all the more in birth and death and lose the way of emancipation.

Just understand that birth-and-death is itself nirvana. There is nothing such as birth and death to be avoided; there is nothing such as nirvana to be sought. Only when you realize this are you free from birth and death.

3

It is a mistake to suppose that birth turns into death. Birth is a phase that is an entire period of itself, with its own past and future.

For this reason, in buddha-dharma birth is understood as no-birth.*

Death is a phase that is an entire period of itself, with its own past

and future. For this reason, death is understood as no-death.*

In birth there is nothing but birth and in death there is nothing but death. Accordinly, when birth comes, face and actualize birth, and when death comes, face and actualize death. Do not avoid them or desire them.

Birth and death as the experience of nirvana.

4

This birth and death is the life of buddha. If you try to exclude it you will lose the life of buddha. If you cling to it, trying to remain in it, you will also lose the life of buddha, and what remains will be the mere form of buddha. Only when you don’t dislike birth and death or long for them, do you enter buddha’s mind.

However, do not analyze or speak about it. Just set aside your body and mind, forget about them, and throw them into the house of buddha; then all is done by buddha. When you follow this, you are free from birth and death and become a buddha without effort or calculation. Who then continues to think?

5

There is a simple way to become buddha: When you refrain from unwholesome actions, are not attached to birth and death, and are compassionate toward all sentient beings, respectful to seniors and kind to juniors, not excluding or desiring anything, with no designing thoughts or worries, you will be called a buddha. Do not seek anything else.

Re: May 1, 2010 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI

I had to leave just after the Dharma Talk today, but I will go back and finish the rest later.

OMG, or shall I say...OMB , how serendipitous today's talk was for me. Yesterday orning before dawn I received a call to inform me of my Aunt's passing, from the Veterans Hospital. She was not at all ailing until about two months ago, and while we (my cousin and I) were logically prepared for this eventuality, it is always different when it actually occurs.

I have been considering lately about the impermanence of things, of the changes we experience daily. There was a recent birth in the family of another cousin's son's family, and now this passing ofth last of my mother's generation. Aunt Alice was the last one of that gerneration, which puts me in the the place asthe oldest person in both my matrilineal and patrilineal lines.

Over time I have come to truly appreciate the imperanence. The changes that just seem to continue to occur: youth and old age, the cycle of the seasons, health and illness, birth and death. I am a witness to all of it from behind my eyes (and in front of my eyes when I look into the bathroom mirror :wink: ). I am comfortable with it and am pace with it all.

We will observe the riual that accompanies this type of change and there will be damp eyes, smiles and even laughter which will help to heal those who knew her. There will be some anger and fist-shaking toward the heavens. But in the end we will have simply moved through the steps of another transition of life and continue our walk.

Thank you Jundo and Master Dogen for putting the icing on the cake for me today.

Re: May 1, 2010 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI

Hi everyone!
I tried to sit the zazenkai but I'm sick for the moment so I think I'll sit the zazenkai on several days...
Anyway, thanks to Jundo and to everyone sitting this zazenkai live or with the recorded version!

Re: May 1, 2010 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI

Originally Posted by Luis

Hi everyone!
I tried to sit the zazenkai but I'm sick for the moment so I think I'll sit the zazenkai on several days...
Anyway, thanks to Jundo and to everyone sitting this zazenkai live or with the recorded version!

gassho,
Luis/Jinyu

Be Well Luis!

(and 'Just be sick' until then)

The wonderful thing about out retreats ... they are always waiting for when one can.